Dallas Cowboys Blog

SAN ANTONIO — New Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan had his first crack at putting in the team’s new system Thursday morning during the team’s first practice (walkthrough) of training camp at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Ryan said feels like the defense came back in great shape and he feels like he’ll be able to get most of his system put in by the season opener. Some will come later, and he said good coaches always continue to put in new things as offenses adjust during the season so it’s never all in.

Ryan’s coached several young players the last few seasons in Cleveland and now he has a veteran group on defense for the most part.

“It’s great. I had to check twice to see if it was a Pro Bowl meeting or something with so many guys in the Pro Bowl,” Ryan said. “It’s something I’m not used to but I’m certainly appreciative of where I am.”

Ryan said this is a great opportunity for him.

“Hell yeah. There are only a few jobs that you would take and this is the premiere football job and everybody knows it,” Ryan said. “It’s God’s team, America’s Team, whatever, so absolutely.”

Ryan said he spent a few weeks in Hawaii on vacation and has been raring to go. He said not having contact practices the first few days isn’t a big deal.

“Really these reps we’re getting mentally are even better than having the pads early,” Ryan said. “We don’t have to make excuses. We’re playing the same game everybody else is. Getting our guys up to speed and learning our players are the most important things.”

Ryan said the Cowboys’ defensive players have a lot to learn in such a short time. He said he tried to keep some of the terminology from Wade Phillips’ defensive playbook, but when asked how much he’s kept, he said only 2 percent.

“I looked and I was like, ‘Can’t use that, but that’s fine,’” Ryan said, looking down and flipping a play chart. “Wade’s a fantastic coach and he has a great system, but they are different systems and that’s just the way it is. We’re not going to make any excuses. We’re going to be ready.”